-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Earl Lane , 35 , used to have a bad habit he thinks too many American men share : He never went to the doctor .

Lane made decent money working at the popcorn plant near Marion , Indiana , but his job did n't come with health benefits . A doctor 's visit was way out of his price range -- or so he thought .

A family member was on the board of the Indiana Health Centers . She told him he should at least get a physical there . The center charges patients on a sliding scale based on a patient 's income . Eventually , Lane gave into family pressure .

`` And it 's a good thing I did . Going to the center saved my life . It was truly a blessing , '' Lane said . `` The doctor tested my triglycerides , and then he tested them again because he just could n't believe the number . He kept asking ` Are you sure you feel OK ? ' ''

The test registered Lane 's triglycerides in the 2,000 range . A healthy person 's numbers are supposed to be around 150 mg/dl . An extremely high triglyceride number like Lane 's can be a sign of type 2 diabetes . Further tests showed Lane was diabetic -- dangerously so .

`` I praise God that He keeps His Hand on me and in this case His Hand came through the Indiana Health Centers , '' Lane said .

Community health centers that qualify for federal funding could help some 22 million Americans , many of whom are uninsured . The centers often provide medical , mental health and dental services . For many it 's the only access to medical care they have outside of an expensive emergency room visit . And now these centers are going to play an even bigger role in helping people get access to care .

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The Obama administration announced Wednesday its first big push to help educate uninsured people about the health coverage they 'll qualify for under Obamacare . The health care law expands who is eligible for Medicaid and makes insurance available to people who would n't have qualified before because of pre-existing conditions .

Starting next January , all Americans must have health insurance or face a financial penalty . Open enrollment for state-based health exchanges that will provide this more affordable coverage will start in October .

The Obama administration 's education effort comes in the form of $ 150 million . Grants will go to 1,159 community health centers that are spread out through all 50 states .

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Health centers will use these new federal grants to create bilingual education materials about changes in the law . Money will go to training so that medical staff knows how to sign patients up for insurance . Funding will also pay to hire some 2,900 additional workers who will do specific community outreach . Polls show a large percentage of Americans do n't know about the law or how it works . The Obama administration thinks these health centers can make a huge impact in spreading the word .

Federally qualified health centers `` are the trusted resources not only of good care but of information in some of the neighborhoods that stand to benefit the most from the expansion of our health coverage , '' Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said .

`` The next few months represent an unprecedented opportunity for millions of Americans to get connected to the security , quality , and affordability health coverage provides -- in some cases for the first time ever . ''

Angela Curran knows a number of her clients at the Community Nurse Health Center will need help understanding Obamacare . The CEO 's health center in La Grange , Illinois , provides medical services to people concentrated in the Western suburbs of Chicago . She estimates more than 36,000 people in her area will qualify for insurance through the new state exchanges and the expanded Medicaid benefits . Community Nurse Health Association received a $ 74,586 grant through the new HHS initiative .

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`` There is a lot of work to be done to let people know that they will qualify and to even help them understand at a basic level what health insurance is , '' Curran said . `` These are things many of us who have health insurance take for granted that people understand , how it works , but that 's just not the case if you have always grown up in an environment without it .

`` We 'll explain the essentials like ` What does insurance mean for me ? ' We 'll tell them that preventative care will now be covered . We 'll explain how to maximize their benefits and how to look for a doctor in network . This will be a real learning curve for people . ''

Curran said her center will use the grant to train staff how to help people sign up for insurance . It will also help the center hire an additional staffer who will do a kind of Obamacare education blitz . `` If there is a library event , a park district gathering or a school registration meeting , we will be there letting people know , '' she said .

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President and CEO Elvin Plank said Indiana Health Centers have contacted all the hospitals in their coverage areas in preparation for their grant 's arrival .

`` Since a lot of uninsured folks use emergency rooms for their primary care , we thought we 'd target patients there . Our staffers handling outreach will let people there know that they will no longer have to use the expensive emergency room any more to treat their chronic conditions . ''

Earl Lane , who continues to have help managing his diabetes from the Indiana Health Center in Marion , believes so much in the good that these centers can do , he 's joined their board .

`` I know many men will forgo their own good health if it means they can have more money to feed their families , '' Lane said . `` But now so many more people will be able to get access to primary care services because of this law , and now because of this grant , more people will know about it . The good Lord is clearly keeping an eye on all of us . ''

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$ 150 million in grants will help medical centers spread the word about Obamacare

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22 million Americans use community health centers for medical treatment

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For millions , Obamacare will be the first time they 've ever had health insurance